Research and Data Consultant

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UNCDF - United Nations Capital Development Fund

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Wednesday 17 Mar 2021 at 23:59 UTC

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Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). UNCDF uses its capital mandate to support LDCs pursue inclusive growth. UNCDF promotes financial inclusion, also through digital financial services (DFS), as a key enabler of poverty reduction and inclusive growth; and it demonstrates how localizing finance outside the capital cities can accelerate growth in local economies, promote sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure development, and empower local communities. Using capital grants, loans and credit enhancements, UNCDF tests financial models in inclusive finance and local development finance; ‘de-risks’ the local investment space; and provides proofs of concept, paving the way for larger and more risk-averse investors.

Recently, UNCDF has formulated its strategy ‘Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era’ based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leaves no one behind. The vision of UNCDF is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use services daily that leverage innovation and technology and contribute to the SDGs. Please refer to the link for further information: https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era

For years, many financial inclusion practitioners assumed that providing access to finance would enable people to use money in ways that would set them up for success. But having access does not cause people to be financially healthy, stable, and successful. For example, only 29% of Americans are financially healthy despite a booming economy and near-universal financial inclusion. 83% of Kenyans were financially included in 2019 but only 22% were deemed financially healthy, a drop from 39% in 2016.

Financial inclusion tends to be reduced to binaries as opposed to being a discussion of a spectrum. Financial health, on the other hand, is arguably a more customer-centric concept, one that offers principles to define impact more holistically, measure it systematically and create it in a sustained and meaningful manner. Fundamentally, it is a non-product-centric approach based on the end consumers' needs.

Financial inclusion and financial health are also fundamentally different approaches, with distinct entry points. With financial inclusion we start with the question, “What does a financial product or service unlock?” With financial health we turn this notion on its head and ask instead, “What does it take to be financially healthy?” Using this “impact” question as an anchor, we work backwards to better align financial interventions to what makes customers financially healthy.

Hosted by UNCDF, the Centre for Financial Health is set-up as an umbrella platform towards convening a global coalition and thought leadership. The Centre for Financial Health acts as a convener, providing a platform to bring together global, regional and local actors committed to using financial and digital solutions to improve the financial lives of low-income families—helping them climb - and stay - out of poverty. The Centre creates space for thought leadership where best financial health practices and models are exchanged and lead to concrete action with governments and the private sector.

The Centre is implementing programmes in different countries called Living Labs which support players with a combination of high quality financial, advisory and networking support to design, test and scale financial health solutions. The aim of the programmes is to improve the financial health of five million people over the next four years.

To further programmatic work, UNCDF has a comprehensive research and learning agenda that examines the following:

1. Which financial health outcomes do low- or moderate-income (LMI) people prioritise and how do they realise them?

2. Which financial health solutions work for LMI people, and in what context?

3. What are the pathways through which these solutions work (e.g. increased income, skills, etc.)?

4. What are best practices for financial service providers and other stakeholders in thinking about and working toward the financial health of LMI people?

5. How can financial health be measured in robust and feasible ways, by both the private sector and policymakers?

In order to realize its learning agenda, UNCDF seeks the research and technical support of a Research and Data Consultant to:

1. Conduct research studies with UNCDF’s partners as well as sectoral research on themes relevant to UNCDF’s research and learning agenda

2. Provide data analytical support

3. Provide support in crafting financial health measurement frameworks/metrics

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Data and Insights Lead and Global Manager – Innovations and Financial Health, the Research and Data Consultant will:

1. Conduct research studies with UNCDF’s partners as well as sectoral research on themes relevant to UNCDF’s research and learning agenda

  • Identify research priorities with UNCDF partners, build research projects including research methodology and tools.
  • Execute research studies with the support of the data and insights team and project teams, monitor data collection and ensure data quality.
  • Assist the human-centric design team in prototyping interventions and testing their effectiveness.
  • Update country evidence base with research and sources relevant to financial health and financial services (including digital).
  • Set indicators for projects, and track their progress through project cycles.
  • Contribute to project, programme and donor reporting including narrative reports.

2. Provide data analytical support

  • Provide data analytical support such as analysing quantitative data sets, and or qualitative transcripts.
  • Conduct analysis of secondary sources on financial health, such as the Global Findex data, BNM national financial inclusion data, and other publicly available data sets.

3. Provide support in crafting financial health measurement frameworks/metrics

  • Support the data and insights team in developing a measurement framework to link financial health metrics to the SDGs in Malaysia.
  • Support the data and insights team in identifying metrics from demand and supply-side data for measuring financial health of end customers.
  • Support UNCDF partners- both private and public- to implement financial health measurement tools.

The table below shows the detailed activities, deliverables, and corresponding target delivery dates.

Activities

Deliverables

Target Completion

Payment terms in % of total contract price

Project-specific research: Research Plans and Methodology

  • Identify UNCDF partner research priorities for projects in Malaysia and China, draft research plans, research tools and methodology.

  • Project research plans and methodology

Months 1-3

20%

Project-specific research: Data collection

  • Execute research studies for all partner projects in Malaysia and China.
  • Ensure data collection and quality.

  • Cleaned up data sets/transcripts

Months 4-9

18%

Project-specific research: Data Analysis

  • Data analysis and reporting.
  • Support the prototyping and testing of solutions, and glean insights from the process.

  • Insights from data analysis - Reports

  • Insights from prototyping and testing - Reports

Months 4-9

27%

Financial Health Measurement

  • Provide support in drafting a measurement framework linking financial health with the SDGs.
  • Provide support in identifying key metrics for financial health measurement.
  • Support UNCDF partners in implementing financial health measurement tools.

  • Financial health measurement metrics report

  • Recommendations to partners
  • Financial Health -SDG framework

Months 4-12

18%

Sectoral Research/Evidence Base:

  • Conduct secondary research on financial health and update country evidence base.
  • Project evaluations of projects in Malaysia and China.

Project/Programme Reporting:

  • Track project progress and submit quarterly reports.
  • Provide support in drafting six-monthly donor reports.

Publication support

  • Provide support in drafting various learning pieces for Malaysia and China projects

  • Updated country evidence base

  • Project evaluation reports

  • Partner quarterly reports

  • Six-monthly reports

  • At least 2 UNCDF learning publications

Months 9-12

17%

TOTAL

100%

Institutional Arrangement

Duration: April 2021 – March 2022

Duty Station: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with country-based travel, and pre-approved international travel

Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: Max of 220 working days within 12 months

For unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. UNCDF would cover the cost of stay for the selected individual.

Please note that UNCDF cannot guarantee residence permits or visas for consultants. Consultants are responsible for securing their work documentation. In the case of national consultants, applicants that are not nationals of the duty station requested will have to prove their residence status.

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

  • The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Global Manager – Innovations and Financial Health.
  • Payment will be made against satisfactory completion of each deliverable. All payments shall be subject to the clearance and approval of the Global Manager – Innovations and Financial Health.
  • Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

Competencies

  • Excellent organizational, inter-personal and communication skills.
  • Able to work effectively in a team and in an international environment.
  • Excellent skills in data analysis.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:

  • A Bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, public/business administration, social sciences, technology or related discipline. A Master’s degree in the same is preferable but not mandatory.

Experience:

  • Minimum of four (4) years of experience in conducting research and data analysis to inform strategic decision making in the public or private sector is mandatory.
  • Minimum of three (3) years of experience with data analysis and data visualization tools is required.
  • Minimum of one (1) year of experience in conducting socioeconomic research is preferable but not mandatory.
  • Minimum of one (1) year of experience in innovation and technology for inclusive finance is preferable but not mandatory.

Language:

  • Fluent in English, both written and oral.
  • Fluency in Malay and Mandarin is a plus.

Application Process

Interested individuals must submit the following documents as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications. (NOTE: The system does not allow multiple uploads of document. Applicants must make sure to upload all documents in one PDF file.)

All applications must contain the following information:

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested documents.

Evaluation Method

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

  • Preliminary Evaluation - Step I: Screening;
  • Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x (Step II: Desk review 20 points + Step III: Interview 80 points = 100 Points);
  • Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% (Step IV).

Step I: Screening

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following mandatory criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

  • A Bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, public/business administration, social sciences, technology or related discipline.
  • Minimum of four (4) years of experience in conducting research and data analysis to inform strategic decision making in the public or private sector.

Step II: Desk Review

A desk review will be conducted to produce a shortlist of applicants according to the criteria listed below. Only applicants who obtain 80 points at this stage shall be invited for the next step.

  • A Bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, public/business administration, social sciences, technology or related discipline. – 20 points
  • Minimum of four (4) years of experience in conducting research and data analysis to inform strategic decision making in the public or private sector. – 25 points
  • Minimum of three (3) years of experience with data analysis and data visualization tools. – 25 points
  • Minimum of one (1) year of experience in conducting socioeconomic research. – 15 points
  • Minimum of one (1) year of experience in innovation and technology for inclusive finance. – 15 points

Step III: Interview

All candidates who obtain 80 points and above at the desk review shall be invited to a competency-based interview.

Only applicants who obtain a minimum of 70% on the total of Steps II (20 points) + III (80 points) will be considered as technically-qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step IV: Financial Evaluation

The following formula will be used for evaluation of financial proposals:

Lowest priced proposal / Price of the proposal being evaluated x 30

Award Criteria

The contact shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  • Having received the highest combined score: Technical (desk review and interview) 70% + Financial 30% = 100%.

Both individual consultants and individuals employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply. Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for individual consultant must do so in their individual capacity by providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly. Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org